Recyclable Eu3+ functionalized Hf-MOF fluorescent probe for urinary metabolites of some organophosphorus pesticides.

A luminescent metal-organic framework Eu3+ functionalized Hf-MOF (Eu3+@1) is designed through post-synthesis modification (PSM) and utilized as a probe for detecting p-nitrophenol (PNP, the urinary metabolite of parathion, methyl-parathion and EPN) and 3-methyl-4-nitrophenol (PNMC, the urinary metabolite of fenitrothion). The apparent quenching effect in urine is observed from the Eu3+@1 with the addition of organophosphorus metabolites. The fluorescent probe has several appealing merits, such as high selectivity, excellent sensitivity (0.36 µg mL-1 for PNP, 0.41 µg mL-1 for PNMC), fast response time (less than 1 min) and easy preparation. Linear correlation between the fluorescence intensity of Eu3+@1 and the concentration of PNP and PNMC are from 0.005 to 0.15 mg mL-1 and 0.005-0.30 mg mL-1, respectively. Furthermore, this fluorescent material also demonstrated the possibility for recycling. It is a prominent candidate for potential application in personalized monitoring the internal dose of human exposure to some organophosphorus pesticides.

Determination of Picomolar Concentrations of Paraoxon in Human Urine by Fluorescence-Based Enzymatic Assay.

Organophosphate (OP) pesticides are widely used in the agricultural field and in the prevention of pest infestation in private and public areas of cities. Despite their unquestionable utility, several of these compounds demonstrate toxic effects to the environment and human health. In particular, the occurrence of some organophosphate pesticides is correlated to the incidence of nervous system disorders, especially in children. The detection of pesticide residues in the human body represents an important task to preserve human health. In our work we propose the use of esterase-based biosensors as a viable alternative to the expensive and time-consuming systems currently used for their detection in human fluids. Using the esterase-2 activity, coupled with a fluorescence inhibition assay, we are able to detect very low concentration levels of diethyl (4-nitrophenyl) phosphate (paraoxon) in the range of the femtomole (fmol). Method robustness tests indicate the stability of esterase-2 in a diluted solution of 4% human urine, and we are able to accurately determine concentration levels of paraoxon in the range from 0.1 to 2 picomoles (pmol). The system sensitivity for OP detection is calculated at 524 ± 14.15 fmol of paraoxon recognized at 10% of inhibition, with an estimated limit of quantification of 262 ± 8.12 pmol mL-1. These values are comparable with the most recent analysis methods based on mass spectrometry carried out on human samples for pesticide detection. This research represents a starting point to develop cheap and fast testing methods for a rapid screening of toxic substances in human samples.

Colorimetric determination of p-nitrophenol by using ELISA microwells modified with an adhesive polydopamine nanofilm containing catalytically active gold nanoparticles.

A microplate method is described for the quantification of p-nitrophenol (p-NPh) in urine samples where it can be found after exposure to certain insecticides such as methyl parathion or paraoxon. The assay is based on the use of a polydopamine (PDA) film doped with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The latter exerts a catalytic effect on the reduction of nitrophenols by NaBH4. PDA has adhesive properties and can be used to fix the AuNPs on several solid substrates, here ELISA polystyrene microwells. The optical and catalytic properties of different populations of AuNPs spontaneously grown on PDA films were investigated, mainly in terms of the relationship between AuNPs@PDA nanocomposite preparation and its catalytic activity and stability. The reduction of o-, m-, and p-nitrophenols by NaBH4 in aqueous solution was exploited as model study. The approach demonstrates that useful kinetic information on the catalytic effect can be obtained on 96-wells simultaneously by a conventional ELISA reader at a fixed wavelength of 415 nm. The method was successfully applied to the quantification of p-NPh in (spiked) urine samples and gave high reproducibility (RSD = 3.5%) and a 6.30 µM (836 µg/L) detection limit. Graphical abstract Schematic presentation of 96-wells preparation for optical quantification on ELISA reader of p-nitrophenol (p-NPh) catalytic reduction to p-aminophenol (p-APh), as model study, by NaBH4 and different population gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) grown on polydopamine (PDA) films attached onto polystyrene (PS) wells.

Magnetite-platinum nanoparticles-modified glassy carbon electrode as electrochemical detector for nitrophenol isomers.

A glassy carbon electrode was modified with magnetite and platinum nanoparticles stabilized with 3-n-propyl-4-picoline silsesquioxane chloride. This chemically-modified electrode is proposed for the first time for the individual or simultaneous electrochemical detection of nitrophenol isomers. Nanoparticles act as catalysts and also increase the surface area. The polymer stabilizes the particles and provides the electrochemical separation of isomers. Under optimized conditions, the reduction peak currents, obtained by differential-pulse voltammetry, of 2-, 3-, and 4-nitrophenol increased linearly with increases in their concentration in the range of 0.1-1.5µmolL-1. In individual analysis, the detection limits were 33.7nmolL-1, 45.3nmolL-1 and 48.2nmolL-1, respectively. Also, simultaneous analysis was possible for 2-, and 4-nitrophenol. In this case, the separation of the peak potentials was 0.138V and the detection limits were 69.6nmolL-1 and 58.0nmolL-1, respectively. These analytical figures of merit evidence the outstanding performance of the modified electrode, which was also successfully applied to the individual determination of isomers in environmental and biological samples. The magnetite and platinum nanoparticles modified glassy carbon electrode was able to detect nitrophenol isomers at the ppm level in rain water and human urine samples.

Simultaneous Detection of 3-Nitrotyrosine and 3-Nitro-4-hydroxyphenylacetic Acid in Human Urine by Online SPE LC-MS/MS and Their Association with Oxidative and Methylated DNA Lesions.

Reactive nitrogen species (RNS) can modify proteins at tyrosine and tryptophan residues, and they are involved in the pathogenesis of various human diseases. In this study, we present the first liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)-based method that enables the simultaneous measurement of urinary 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NTYR) and its metabolite 3-nitro-4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (NHPA). After the addition of stable isotope-labeled internal standards, urine samples were purified and enriched using manual solid-phase extraction (SPE) and HPLC fractionation followed by online SPE LC-MS/MS analysis. The limits of quantification in urine were 3.1 and 2.5 pg/mL for 3-NTYR and NHPA, respectively. Inter- and intraday imprecision was <15%. The mean relative recoveries of 3-NTYR and NHPA in urine were 89-98% and 90-98%, respectively. We further applied this method to 65 urinary samples from healthy subjects. Urinary samples were also analyzed for N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) as well as oxidative and methylated DNA lesions, namely, 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (8-oxoGua), 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodGuo), N7-methylguanine (N7-MeG), and N3-methyladenine (N3-MeA), using reported LC-MS/MS methods. Urinary 3-NTYR and NHPA levels were measured at concentrations of 63.2 ± 51.5 and 77.4 ± 60.8 pg/mL, respectively. Urinary 3-NTYR and NHPA levels were highly correlated with each other and with 8-oxoGua and 8-oxodGuo. Our findings demonstrated that a relationship exists between oxidative and nitrative stress. However, 3-NTYR and NHPA were correlated with N7-MeG and N3-MeA but not with NDMA, suggesting that NDMA may not be a representative biomarker of N-nitroso compounds that are induced by RNS.

Environmental exposure to organophosphorus and pyrethroid pesticides in South Australian preschool children: a cross sectional study.

Organophosphorus (OP) and pyrethroid (PYR) compounds are the most widely used insecticides. OPs and PYRs are developmental neurotoxicants. Understanding the extent of exposure in the general population and especially in young children is important for the development of public health policy on regulation and use of these chemicals. Presented here are the results of the first investigation into the extent of environmental exposure to neurotoxic insecticides in preschool children in South Australia (SA). Children were enrolled from different areas of SA and assigned into urban, periurban and rural groups according to their residential address. Residential proximity to agricultural activity, parental occupational contact to insecticides and use of insecticides within the household were investigated as potential indirect measures of exposure. We used liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry to measure the following metabolites of OPs and PYRs in urine samples as direct indicators of exposure: dialkylphosphates, p-nitrophenol, 3-methyl-4-nitrophenol, 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol, cis- and trans-3-(2,2-dichlorovinyl)-2,2-dimethyl-cyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid, cis-3-(2,2-dibromovinyl)-2,2-dimethyl-cyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid, 2-methyl-3phenylbenzoic acid and 3-phenoxybenzoic acid. Results were analysed to assess factors affecting the risk and level of exposure. Results were also compared to the published data in similar age groups from US and German studies. The results of this study demonstrate that there was widespread chronic exposure to OPs and and PYRs in SA children. OP metabolites were detected more commonly than PYR. Exposure to more than one chemical and contemporaneous exposure to chemicals from both OP and PYR groups was common in the study population. There were some differences in risks and levels of exposure between the study groups. Exposure to some restricted use of chemicals, for example, fenitrothion, was higher in periurban and rural children. There was no difference among the study groups in exposure to chlorpyrifos, used commonly in agriculture and in domestic settings and most frequently found OP pesticide in food in Australia. South Australian children appear to have higher levels of exposure compared their peers in US and Germany.

New analytical method for sensitive quantification of urinary 3-methyl-4-nitrophenol to assess fenitrothion exposure in general population and occupational sprayers.

The measurement of blood cholinesterase (ChE) activities is adopted worldwide for biological monitoring of exposure to organophosphorus insecticides (OPs). Recent development of analytical chemistry has made sensitive quantification possible of non-specific OP metabolites, dialkylphosphates, in urine as a biomarker of low-level OP exposure. In this study, we established a method for quantification of urinary 3-methyl-4-nitrophenol (MNP), a specific metabolite of fenitrothion (FNT), and a parathion metabolite p-nitrophenol (PNP), using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The limits of detection of MNP and PNP were 0.3 and 0.5µg/L, respectively. The method enabled the quantification of both free and conjugated metabolites. This method was actually applied to monitor human urine in summer and winter in FNT sprayers (N=29 and 9, respectively) and control workers (N=17 and 29, respectively). Geometric mean total MNP concentrations (µg/gcreatinine) in the FNT sprayers (28.8 in summer and 8.6 in winter) were significantly higher than those of the controls (3.1 in summer and 2.3 in winter) in both seasons. Among the sprayers, total MNP concentrations in summer were significantly higher than in winter. In contrast, no significant difference in total PNP concentrations was observed between FNT sprayers (geometric mean 3.4 in summer and 3.0 in winter) and controls (3.6 in summer and 2.1 in winter). No seasonal difference was observed in each group. In conclusion, the present new method is sensitive enough for biological monitoring of FNT and parathion metabolites even in a non-spraying population.

Identification of metabolite profiles of the catechol-O-methyl transferase inhibitor tolcapone in rat urine using LC/MS-based metabonomics analysis.

The process of drug metabolite identification is extremely important for drug efficacy, safety and pharmacokinetics. The traditional method usually involves using a drug with a radioactive labeled nuclei and/or isolating major drug metabolites by HPLC before applying MS and NMR analyses, which requires trained specialists to handle the radioactive compounds and is time consuming for offline-HPLC separation. A method using mass spectrometry-based metabonomics combined with multivariate statistical analysis was applied to rapidly identify metabolite profiles of tolcapone, a catechol-O-methyl transferase inhibitor for Parkinson's disease treatment. The tolcapone metabolites were identified based on the accurate mass measurement (<3 ppm) and MS(2) mass spectrum. In total, 16 tolcapone metabolites were detected and identified, 6 of which have not been reported previously. Our results indicate that the method has the capability to accelerate the process of identifying drug metabolites, ultimately reduce drug development costs, and make the process safer without requiring a drug with radioactive nuclei. Most importantly, the assay can detect the major and minor drug metabolites in a global view. Furthermore, since tolcapone has been associated with idiosyncratic drug induced liver toxicity the rapid detection of tolcapone-related metabolites can provide mechanistic toxicity information related to drug metabolism and the formation of reactive drug metabolites.

Urinary paranitrophenol, a metabolite of methyl parathion, in Thai farmer and child populations.

Human exposure to methyl parathion can be assessed by measuring the concentration of its metabolite paranitrophenol (PNP) in urine. Our biologic monitoring study in Chiang Mai, Thailand, measured PNP and dialkylphosphate metabolites (i.e., dimethylphosphate [DMP] and dimethylthiophosphate [DMTP]) of methyl parathion in urine samples collected from 136 farmers (age 20 to 65 years) and 306 school children (age 10 to 15 years) in 2006. Participants came from two topographically different areas: one was colder and mountainous, whereas the other was alluvial with climate fluctuations depending on the monsoon season. Both children and farmers were recruited from each area. Despite methyl parathion's prohibited use in agriculture in 2004, we detected PNP in >90% of all samples analyzed. We applied a nonparametric correlation test (PNP vs. DMP and DMTP) to determine whether the PNP found in most of the samples tested resulted from exposures to methyl parathion. DMP (Spearman's rho = 0.601 [p = 0.001] for farmers and Spearman's rho = 0.263 [p <0.001] for children) and DMTP (Spearman's rho = 0.296 [p = 0.003] for farmers and Spearman's rho = 0.304 [p<0.001] for children) were positively correlated with PNP, suggesting a common source for the three analytes, presumably methyl parathion or related environmental degradates. Although we found a modest correlation between the metabolites, our findings suggest that despite the prohibition, at least a portion (approximately 25% to 60%) of the PNP detected among farmers and children in Thailand may be attributed to exposure from continued methyl parathion use.

Urinary excretion of the nitrotyrosine metabolite 3-nitro-4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid in preterm and term infants.

BACKGROUND: Newborn infants are exposed to various sources of oxidative and/or nitrative stress, which refers to either oxidation and/or nitration of endogenous proteins including loss of their original function. Nitrative stress is predominantly caused following synthesis of peroxynitrite. Particularly preterm infants with immature defense mechanisms against free radical injury appear at risk. OBJECTIVE: To test the feasibility of quantifying the degradation products of the peroxynitrite marker nitrotyrosine [3-nitro-4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (NHPA) and para-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (PHPA)] in neonatal urine samples. METHODS: NHPA and PHPA were determined by gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy in urinary samples of preterm and term infants (mean gestational age = 28.4 and 39.6 weeks, respectively). RESULTS: The urinary NHPA levels were lower in preterm infants in comparison with term infants. When the NHPA levels were adjusted to the urinary PHPA levels, no differences were found between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Nitrotyrosine can be quantified in urinary samples of even the most immature infants. Nitration of endogenous PHPA in the gastrointestinal tract of term infants may have masked potentially higher levels of NHPA in preterm infants.

Stir bar sorptive extraction with in situ de-conjugation and thermal desorption gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for measurement of 4-nonylphenol glucuronide in human urine sample.

4-Nonylphenol glucuronide (NP-G) in human urine samples was analyzed using stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) with in situ de-conjugation by beta-glucuronidase and thermal desorption (TD)-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Distilled water (1 ml), 1.0 M ammonium acetate solution (100 microl) and beta-glucuronidase (10,000 units ml(-1), 10 microl) were added to human urine sample (1 ml), and extraction was commenced for 90 min at 37 degrees C while stirring at 250 rpm with a stir bar coated with a 500-microm-thick polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) layer. Then, the stir bar was subjected to TD-GC-MS in the selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode. The calibration curve was made by SBSE method using 4-nonylphenol (NP) as the standard solution. The method showed good linearity and the correlation coefficients were 0.999 over the concentration range of 5-500 nM. Moreover, to optimize the conditions for SBSE with in situ de-conjugation and the recovery test, NP-G was synthesized by a biochemical technique in our laboratory. The limits of detection (S/N = 3) and quantitation (S/N > 10) for NP were 0.2 ng ml(-1) (1.0 nM) and 1.1 ng ml(-1) (5.0 nM), respectively. The average recoveries in the human urine samples (n = 6) spiked with NP-G at levels of 20 and 100 nM were 104.1 (R.S.D. 7.1%) and 100.6% (R.S.D. 9.2%), respectively, with correction using the added internal standard, 4-(1-methyl) octylphenol-d(5). The method enabled the precise determination of the standard and was applicable to the detection of trace amounts of NP-G in human urine samples.

High performance liquid chromatography with an electrochemical detector in the cathodic mode as a tool for the determination of p-nitrophenol and assay of acid phosphatase in urine samples.

Utilizing a commercially available helium-purging device and PEEK tubes for all tubing, especially for connection between the mobile phase and pump, high performance liquid chromatography with an electrochemical detector (ECD/HPLC) at the cathodic mode is a simple and precise method for the determination of p-nitrophenol (NP). Studies with cyclic and hydrodynamic voltammetry indicated that 25% aqueous MeOH containing 0.1% (v/v) CF(3)CO(2)H and -0.8 V vs. Ag/AgCl are the best mobile phase and detection potential for cathodic ECD/HPLC. With the present system, the limits of detection and determination were 0.2 and 0.25 microM, respectively, and up to 50 microM, a linear calibration curve was afforded. Within-day precisions for the analysis of 5 and 50 microM NP were 0.8 and 0.7% (n=6), respectively, and between-day precisions (n=6) for these samples were 3.5 and 2.2%, respectively. Compared with the commonly used Bessey-Lowry-Brock method, cathodic ECD/HPLC was useful for the assay of acid phosphatase in urine samples with p-nitrophenyl phosphate disodium salt as a substrate.

Nitration of endogenous para-hydroxyphenylacetic acid and the metabolism of nitrotyrosine.

Reactive nitrogen species, such as peroxynitrite, can nitrate tyrosine in proteins to form nitrotyrosine. Nitrotyrosine is metabolized to 3-nitro-4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (NHPA), which is excreted in the urine. This has led to the notion that measurement of urinary NHPA may provide a time-integrated index of nitrotyrosine formation in vivo. However, it is not known whether NHPA is derived exclusively from metabolism of nitrotyrosine, or whether it can be formed by nitration of circulating para -hydroxyphenylacetic acid (PHPA), a metabolite of tyrosine. In the present study, we have developed a gas chromatography MS assay for NHPA and PHPA to determine whether or not NHPA can be formed directly by nitration of PHPA. Following the injection of nitrotyrosine, 0.5+/-0.16% of injected dose was recovered unchanged as nitrotyrosine, and 4.3+/-0.2% as NHPA in the urine. To determine whether or not NHPA could be formed by the nitration of PHPA, deuterium-labelled PHPA ([(2)H(6)]PHPA) was injected, and the formation of deuterated NHPA ([(2)H(5)]NHPA) was measured. Of the infused [(2)H(6)]PHPA, 78+/-2% was recovered in the urine unchanged, and approx. 0.23% was recovered as [(2)H(5)]NHPA. Since the plasma concentration of PHPA is markedly higher than free nitrotyrosine (approx. 400-fold), the nitration of high-circulating endogenous PHPA to form NHPA becomes very significant and accounts for the majority of NHPA excreted in urine. This is the first study to demonstrate that NHPA can be formed by nitration of PHPA in vivo, and that this is the major route for its formation.

Urinary p-nitrophenol as a biomarker of household exposure to methyl parathion.

Methyl parathion (MP) is an organophosphate pesticide illegally applied to the interiors of many hundreds of homes throughout the United States by unlicensed pesticide applicators. Public health authorities developed a protocol for investigating contaminated homes and classifying their need for public health interventions. This protocol included environmental screening for MP contamination and 1-day biomonitoring (a.m. and p.m. spot urine samples) of household members for p-nitrophenol (PNP), a metabolite of MP. The variability of urinary PNP excretion under these exposure conditions was unknown. We collected a.m. and p.m. spot urine samples for 7 consecutive days from 75 individuals, who were members of 20 MP-contaminated households in the greater Chicago, Illinois, area, and analyzed them for PNP. We also assessed the ability of the 1-day sampling protocol to correctly classify exposed individuals and households according to their need for public health interventions, assuming that 1 week of sampling (14 urinary PNPs) represented their true exposure condition. The coefficient of variation of log urinary PNPs for individuals over the course of 7 days of a.m. and p.m. sampling averaged about 15%. Adjusting for urinary excretion of creatinine improved reproducibility of urinary PNPs among children but not among adults. The 1-day protocol correctly classified true risk category in 92% of individuals and 85% of households. The data contained in this study can be used to refine what is already a reasonable and effective approach to identifying MP-exposed households and determining the appropriate public health intervention.

Assessment of human exposure and human health effects after indoor application of methyl parathion in Lorain County, Ohio, 1995-1996.

In January 1995 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency declared methyl parathion-contaminated homes in Lorain County, Ohio, as a Superfund cleanup site. During the 2-year cleanup, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in collaboration with county and city health officials conducted a study of exposure and health effects among residents. We administered 254 household and 747 individual questionnaires; urine analysis for p-nitrophenol (PNP, a metabolite of methyl parathion) was available for 626 participants. We also reviewed medical records of 49 people who were hospitalized or died after their homes were sprayed. People living in homes sprayed <180 days previously were most likely to have the highest PNP levels (22.9% > 100 ppb PNP), but even people living in homes sprayed more than a year previously appeared to be highly exposed (8.5% > 100 ppb PNP). The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey reference range is 0-63 ppb. Median detectable PNP levels among children younger than 3 years of age were 93.9 ppb compared with 41.6 ppb among people older than 3 years. Younger children appeared to be at greatest risk of exposure. In none of the medical records that we reviewed did a health care provider consider pesticide poisoning as a potential etiology.

Public health decisions: the laboratory's role in the Lorain County, Ohio, investigation.

In 1994 officials from the Ohio Department of Health reported that some residents of Lorain County, Ohio, possibly had been exposed to methyl parathion (MP), a highly toxic restricted-use pesticide. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) assisted in the investigation by providing epidemiologic and laboratory support to the state and local health departments. Although the initial investigation found MP inside the homes, it was unclear if the residents were exposed. CDC used a new biological monitoring method to measure urinary p-nitrophenol (PNP), the metabolite of MP. This biological monitoring measures the internal dose from exposure to toxic chemicals from all routes. Laboratory analyses demonstrated that the urine of residents contained moderate to high levels of PNP, with median, mean, and highest reported concentrations of 28, 240, and 4,800 g/L, respectively, thus confirming exposure of the residents. Almost 80% of the residents had urinary PNP concentrations above the 95th percentile of the reference range concentrations. This information, combined with other analytical results of air and wipe tests, guided public health officials' decisions about the potential risk in each household. In this article we illustrate the laboratory's role in providing information to assist in making these public health decisions. Furthermore, it illustrates how a multidisciplinary team from various governmental agencies worked together to protect the public's health.

Methyl parathion in residential properties: relocation and decontamination methodology.

In November 1994 methyl parathion (MP), a restricted agricultural pesticide, was discovered to have been illegally sprayed within hundreds of residences in Lorain County, Ohio. Surface levels and air concentrations of MP revealed detectable levels of the pesticide 3 years after spraying. Because of the high toxicity of MP (lethal dose to 50% of rats tested [LD50] = 15 mg/kg) and long half-life indoors, risk-based relocation and decontamination criteria were created. Relocation criteria were derived based on levels of p-nitrophenol in urine, a metabolic byproduct of MP exposure. In Ohio, concentrations of MP on surfaces and in the air were also used to trigger relocations. The criteria applied in Ohio underwent refinement as cases of MP misuse were found in Mississippi and then in several other states. The MP investigation (1994-1997) was the largest pesticide misuse case in the nation, ultimately involving the sampling of 9,000 residences and the decontamination of 1,000 properties. This article describes the methodology used for relocation of residents and decontamination of properties having MP.

Chicago area methyl parathion response.

The Illinois Department of Public Health participated in the Chicago, Illinois, area methyl parathion (MP) response with several other federal, state, and local government agencies beginning in April 1997. This response was initiated on evidence that hundreds of homes in the Chicago area were illegally treated for cockroaches with MP over a period of several years. Through applicator receipt books and information reported by property owners and tenants, 968 homes were identified as having been treated with MP. Upon implementation of a response plan developed by the Methyl Parathion Health Sciences Steering Committee, environmental sampling and urine monitoring were provided for eligible households. Environmental sampling was conducted in 903 homes, with MP detected above levels of concern in 596 residences. Residents of these homes were offered urine sampling to determine the extent of exposure to MP. Urine samples were collected and analyzed for p-nitrophenol in 1,913 individuals. Implementation of the protocol resulted in 550 residents being relocated during the remediation of 100 households.

Measurement of p-nitrophenol in the urine of residents whose homes were contaminated with methyl parathion.

During the last several years, illegal commercial application of methyl parathion (MP) in domestic settings in several U.S. Southeastern and Midwestern States has affected largely inner-city residents. As part of a multiagency response involving the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), and state and local health departments, our laboratory developed a rapid, high-throughput, selective method for quantifying p-nitrophenol (PNP), a biomarker of MP exposure, using isotope dilution high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. We measured PNP in approximately 16,000 samples collected from residents of seven different states. Using this method, we were able to receive sample batches from each state; prepare, analyze, and quantify the samples for PNP; verify the results; and report the data to the health departments and ATSDR in about 48 hr. These data indicate that many residents had urinary PNP concentrations well in excess of those of the general U.S. population. In fact, their urinary PNP concentrations were more consistent with those seen in occupational settings or in poisoning cases. Although these data, when coupled with other MP metabolite data, suggest that many residents with the highest concentrations of urinary PNP had significant exposure to MP, they do not unequivocally rule out exposure to PNP resulting from environmental degradation of MP. Even with their limitations, these data were used with the assumption that all PNP was derived from MP exposure, which enabled the U.S. EPA and ATSDR to develop a comprehensive, biologically driven response that was protective of human health, especially susceptible populations, and included clinical evaluations, outreach activities, community education, integrated pest management, and decontamination of homes.